North Park has served five generations of students and continues to grow in diversity, academic relevance, and Christian commitment. Our Chicago location is a great asset that reflects the School’s global reach and outlook.

After 125 years, we’ve learned how to streamline the process of helping qualified applicants seek admission to North Park and find affordable ways to attend. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on our website, please contact us directly!

North Park offers more than 40 graduate and undergraduate programs in liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Classes average 17 students. 84% of our faculty have terminal degrees. Academics here are rigorous and results-oriented.

Building community is a team sport. Between our 15 men’s and women’s teams, popular intramurals, and club sports, Vikings are here to play.

North Park Theological Seminary prepares you to answer the call to service through theological study, spiritual development, and the formative experiences of living in a community with others on a similar life path.

North Park’s alumni community is a thriving, supportive network of individuals who live and work in Chicago and around the world. We look forward to keeping in touch with you!

Thanks to mentoring, internships, and a professional development program that begins the first day you arrive on campus, 88% of NPU grads are employed in the fields of their choice or pursuing higher degrees.

Biology

Why Study Biology?

Biologists study life in all of its forms, from microscopic organisms to marine plants to the complex structure and function of the human body. By studying biology, you will learn how to apply the scientific method to unlock the divine mysteries of the natural world through topics like molecular and biology, human anatomy, botany, zoology, ecology, and microbiology. Majoring in biology will prepare you for advanced graduate study in areas like medicine, genetics, biotechnology, science education, and more.

Requirements

Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Linda Vick

Dr. Linda Vick teaches courses across the biology curriculum—everything from embryology to zoology—and takes students to places like the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, Ethiopia, and the Bahamas.

Pre-Professional Preparation

Prepare for medical, dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or veterinary school with a biology major and our one of our pre-professional tracks. You’ll complete a recommended set of courses alongside your major and be advised on how to get the experience you need to be a standout among applicants.

Travel Courses: Research in Paradise

Field research is the best way to see biology in action. Every year, the biology department organizes research trips to exotic locations like Costa Rica, the Bahamas, and Taiwan. In these for-credit courses, students are immersed in the ecology and culture of the country with the help of North Park professors and local experts.

Alumni Profile

Alum Becky Morrison’s opportunity to research alongside faculty members, as well as the advising relationships she built with her professors, prepared her for a master’s program in microbiology and a career as a scientist.

Alumni Graduate Schools

Rush University Medical Center

Mayo

Rosalind Franklin

Loyola University, Chicago

Northwestern University

University of Minnesota

Learn to Write Like a Scientist

Successful biologists understand how to communicate clearly and effectively through scientific writing. We developed the Writing Advisor program in the Biology department to pair first-year biology majors with junior and senior scientific writing mentors. Get personalized feedback on lab reports and research abstracts to better understand how scientific writing is structured and how scientific concepts are explained.

Biology Honor Club

Every spring, a new group of high-achieving biology students are invited to join the TriBeta Biology Honor Club. Members gather regularly for meals, research discussions, outdoor exploration, guest speakers, and trips.